Have you been wanting to try the new granola girls bars but haven't had the time to place an order? Here's your chance!!

Granola Girls Granoli-mobile Christmas Contest!!!!Between Monday Dec 21st and Wednesday Dec 23rd, the Granola Girls will be taking entries for their Christmas Contest. How do you play you ask?! Well you have to keep your eyes peeled for the Granoli-mobile!!! Granola Girls have a vehicle going around Saint John and surrounding areas with their pretty pink logo on it. You can't miss it! If you happen to see the Granoli-mobile, take notice and email us right away with the make of the vehicle, where you saw it and what time of day. Your name will then be placed in a draw and Wednesday afternoon at 3pm there will be a winner of a bakers dozen of our natural homemade granola bars just in time for Christmas!!!!

Don't miss out! We can't wait to hear from everyone and award the winner this Wednesday!

There are some new girls in town who are serving up "healthy" in a delicious snack.

Metaxia Flogeras, above, has started up a company with her mother, MaryLou, called Granola Girls, where they sell homemade organic granola bars. Last month, MaryLou and Metaxia Flogeras launched The Granola Girls both online and at the Kingston Farmers' Market.

Only weeks off the ground, the mother and daughter duo are finding people are gobbling up their homemade granola bars.

"Honestly, as soon as you taste it you'll probably buy a tray," said Metaxia, who grew up in Rothesay and graduated from RCS Netherwood.

Growing up in the Kennebecasis Valley, Metaxia learned from her mother the benefits of eating and living healthy. Sharing a keen interest in the foods they put in their bodies, the two enjoyed trying out new recipes.

"We just wanted to make a difference with the people that are around us and help them live a healthier lifestyle - especially right now, with all the sickness that is going around and more flus," she said. "It's now more than ever that we need to build our immune systems and feed our bodies."

When they started making their own granola bars, friends and family members raved about them. Full of organic oats, raw pumpkin and sunflower seeds and cranberries and topped with dark chocolate, the bars offer a sweet and healthy alternative. But it wasn't until Thanksgiving that the two decided to launch the business and share their product with the public.

"We kind of were playing around with the recipe together," Metaxia said. "Then one day we went for a hike up in Welsford on our Thanksgiving holiday and we just started talking about it. Why don't we start doing this together? There was no harm in trying. And honestly, it's just taken off."

Metaxia, a creative director with Pulse Communication, knew the strength of tapping into the social media. She created a website (www.granolagirls.ca) and launched a blog on the site to keep people updated on the business' progress.

Then the pair landed a spot at the Kingston Farmers' Market - a place that welcomed them enthusiastically for the remainder of this season and encouraged them to come back for the next.

"It's been very, very well received by the local people," Metaxia said.

Now, Metaxia is trying to spread the word in her hometown.

"I guess our main message right now is that people are tired of feeding their families with chemicals and preservatives. We wanted to offer people in the Saint John and KV area with the best healthy snack we could come up with.

"KV is very family oriented," she added. "We are trying to get across to moms that now more than ever would be a good time to put these kinds of snacks into their kids' lunches or have them for after-school snacks.

The price is $2.50 for a bar, $24 for a baker's dozen and $45 for a tray of 26.

"It's sort of brain food with all the raw ingredients and as much organic ingredients as we can find," she said. "It's just literally trying to get a little health in everybody's life."

We must drink at least 6-8 cups of pure, filtered water every day. This water should be consumed throughout the day. It is not advisable to drink large amounts all at once (unless excessive exercise, etc). Sipping water all day long ensures that the body will utilize the water. If you are just begining to include water into your diet, start slowly allowing your body time to adjust to the increased levels of water. Increaseing B-Complex intake may also help the body absorb and utilize water. This can avoid regular trips to the bathroom. Some people find it easiest to prepare a container that holds your ideal daily water requirement. Some find a few large glasses may be easier on the psyche than many smaller glasses, or vice versa. Try occasional added fresh lemon or lime juice for flavour. Do not drink large amounts of water with, or just after a meal. This dilutes digestive 'juices'. Do whatever works best for you.

Yesterday was a great day! We made a lot of progress when a journalist with the Telegraph journal stumbled upon our website and contacted us to do an interview!!!! So exciting! It's amazing how word travels in the digital world with Social Media. We can't wait to get our name out there to the local people even more and make everyone aware of the Granola Girls.

And also.... it's my Birthday today!!!!!! It's been amazing so far and it is only 10 am :) I've been so busy with everything that my birthday has just sort of snuck up on me. Having amazing people, friends and loved ones in our lives always helps during a special day like your birthday.

The Granola Girls are going to be coming out with a pre-Christmas contest!!!! It's going to be fun!!!! so Stay tuned and we will be announcing it very soon! Cant wait!

We will also be at the Kingston Farmer's Market again this weekend and we WILL have electricity this time ;) Be sure to come out and support us. We will be sporting our new Granola Girls t-shirts! Very cute and stylish.